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The Brazilian construction sector faces an unusual challenge: while the number of projects is growing, the shortage of qualified labor threatens to paralyze projects and increase operating costs.
O construction sector In Brazil, there is a disturbing paradox: while sales and hiring numbers are increasing, the lack of qualified labor threatens to hinder growth.
The situation is more complex than it seems and involves high costs, travel between regions and even a change in the profile of workers.
The numbers are worrying and reveal the size of the challenge, affecting everything from small residential projects to large infrastructure projects.
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According to the FGV IBRE Construction Survey, the lack of qualified labor has become the main complaint of companies in the sector, even surpassing the lack of demand for works.
Over the past three years, the number of companies that have struggled to hire qualified workers has jumped from 10,7% to a staggering 71,2%.
In Ceará, one of the worst-affected states, the deficit is so severe that heavy construction companies are being forced to import labor from other cities and even other states.
According to an article published on Wednesday (06) by Northeast Daily newspaper, this movement generates additional costs with accommodation and transportation for workers who spend up to 30 days away from their homes, as explained by Eduardo Aguiar Benevides, financial vice president of Sinconpe-CE (Ceará Heavy Construction Industry Union).
Education and training as an emergency solution
To try to overcome the lack of qualified workers, Sinconpe-CE has invested in training programs, especially for machine operators, one of the most in-demand roles.
Patriolino Dias, president of the Ceará Civil Construction Industry Union (Sinduscon-CE), pointed out that the companies themselves have been offering training to attract more professionals, especially young people, to the sector.
Dias warns that the average age of construction workers has risen significantly, from around 25 to 28 years old to over 40 years old.
This aging workforce is worrying, especially due to the lack of young people entering the field, which could compromise the renewal and dynamism of the sector in the future.
The weight of the My House, My Life program
The high demand, stimulated by programs such as My home, my life and due to the rising employment scenario, it also worsens the labor crisis, as explained by Ana Maria Castelo, Construction Projects Coordinator at FGV Ibre.
With the need to maintain productivity to avoid downtime, construction companies have sought to adopt new technologies and make the sector more attractive to underrepresented groups, including women.
Castelo states that the sector needs to modernize its techniques and increase the use of industrial processes.
“Civil construction is still mostly artisanal and suffers from low industrialization”, she explained, highlighting that this transformation is urgent to reduce the sector's vulnerability to new crises.
Rising Costs and the National Construction Cost Index
To address the shortage of workers, many companies are increasing wages and investing in training and team relocation.
However, this movement has a price. The National Construction Cost Index (INCC) for labor has accumulated an increase of over 7%, exceeding inflation in the same period.
According to Ana Maria Castelo, this inflationary pressure should persist, impacting the final cost of works and companies' budgets.
Despite the challenges, companies indicate that they will continue to hire more than they fire, which should keep the market buoyant.
However, the scenario requires adaptations to prevent the increasing cost from making projects unfeasible.
Demand for 360 professionals for 2025 to 2027
Another important point is the demand for qualified labor projected for the coming years.
According to the Industrial Work Map of the National Industrial Observatory, the industrial sector of Ceará will need around 380 thousand professionals between 2025 and 2027.
Of this total, 316 thousand must undergo training and development to remain competitive, while only 64 thousand will represent professionals with initial training.
The construction sector will have the second highest demand, with a need for more than 40 professionals, especially those with training and development skills.
In other areas, such as logistics and transport, and in the leather and footwear sector, demand is also expected to grow considerably.
Changes in the workforce profile and challenges for the sector
Sônia Parente, Professional Education Manager at Senai-CE, highlighted the importance of changing the vision of civil construction.
“Working in construction is not just manual labor; there are opportunities for those who invest in training”, he said.
She highlights that the professional can start as a bricklayer, but, by investing in training, can evolve into roles such as ceramic coating, expanding their possibilities in the sector.
The prospect of new forms of construction requires increasingly specific skills, and the sector still carries a stigma of purely manual labor, which puts many young people off.
However, as Parente highlights, professionalization is essential to fill the vacancies that will continue to be created.
Future of construction: a crisis that demands action
The construction sector needs to rethink its strategies to overcome the worker shortage.
The current crisis requires coordinated action between companies, unions and educational institutions, with a focus on training and technological updating.
The heating up of the market, driven by housing programs and the increase in demand for infrastructure, makes it clear that the transformation of the sector is not only necessary, but urgent.
With so many opportunities and a booming market, the question remains: will the construction sector be able to overcome the lack of qualified labor and prepare for the future?
Good evening, in several sectors of Brazil, in several areas, there is a shortage of professionals. I suggest an in-depth study by area, to identify the real reasons for the rejection of a good part of Brazilian workers and various social classes, who no longer want to evolve professionally with a signed employment contract.
The construction industry has to understand that it needs to pay an attractive wage.
Exactly. Supermarkets in Minas Gerais are also complaining about the lack of labor, but what do they want to pay? 1 minimum wage. Who lives decently these days for 1500? Nobody. Renting any apartment in Belo Horizonte costs 1200,00. These people want to make millions and billions and pay peanuts to the workers they depend on.
Pay better and there will be no shortage of labor. They want to make billions and pay wages that do not offer dignity.
Bricklayers are not registered workers, they work on their own.
There is a need to pay professionals a decent salary, because in Brazil there are millions of competent and qualified professionals, but when they are discouraged by their salary, they look for other ways to earn their daily bread.
The problem is the value of the salary offered to professionals, it is only necessary to improve the values offered a lot, professionals have